A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels ignited a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, PTI reported on June 14, 2024, at 08:53 IST.
In Dubai, June 14 (AP) - Yemen's Houthi rebels launched two anti-ship cruise missiles, striking a commercial vessel on Thursday in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen, causing a fire and critically injuring a civilian mariner, according to authorities.
The M/V Verbena remained ablaze while the injured mariner was airlifted by a US helicopter from the USS Philippine Sea to a nearby ship for medical treatment, reported the US military's Central Command.
Central Command's statement identified the Verbena as a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned, and Polish-operated bulk cargo carrier. The ship, which had docked in Malaysia, was en route to Italy carrying wood. The statement added, "The M/V Verbena reported damage and subsequent fires on board. The crew continues to fight the fire."
This attack is the latest in the Houthis' series of assaults linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Earlier on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported an attack on a vessel that resulted in a fire. Private security firm Ambrey also noted a distress call from a merchant vessel hit by a missile.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Verbena and two other ships in the Red Sea. Central Command stated that the Houthis launched two ballistic missiles in the Red Sea, which caused “no injuries or significant damage.”
The UKMTO reported that a vessel previously missed by the Houthis was later hit by a “third projectile” causing “minor damage,” but it remained operational.
This incident followed a Houthi boat-borne bomb attack on a commercial ship in the Red Sea on Wednesday. Central Command reported the destruction of a Houthi drone boat, two patrol boats, and one airborne drone in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, who seized Yemen's capital nearly a decade ago and have been fighting a Saudi-led coalition since shortly after, have been targeting shipping throughout the Red Sea corridor. They claim their attacks are meant to stop the war and support Palestinians, although they often target unrelated vessels.
The Gaza conflict has resulted in over 36,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health officials, with additional casualties from Israeli operations in the West Bank. The conflict began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages.
Since November, the Houthis have launched over 50 attacks on shipping, killed three sailors, seized one vessel, and sunk another, according to the US Maritime Administration.
A US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with strikes on May 30 reportedly killing at least 16 people and wounding 42, according to the rebels.
Additionally, on Thursday, the Washington-based National Democratic Institute reported the detention of three of its staff by the Houthis earlier this month. This detention is part of a broader crackdown by the rebels on UN agency staff and aid workers.
The institute condemned the Houthis' actions, calling for the immediate release of their staff and others unjustly detained. "This arbitrary and inhumane treatment of Yemeni citizens involved in humanitarian assistance, diplomacy, democracy, and human rights, peacemaking, and civil society development is entirely without foundation and must be ended immediately," the institute stated. The organisation, which has operated in Yemen since 1993, receives funding from the US government and other sources.
Source:
http://www.theweek.in/
Image:
https://www.financialexpress.com/
